New discovery reveals how diatoms capture CO2 so effectively
Tiny diatoms in the ocean are masters at capturing carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the environment. They fix up to 20 percent of the Earth’s CO₂. Prof. Ben Engel’s team at the Biozentrum of the University of Basel has now discovered a protein shell in these algae that is necessary for efficient CO₂ fixation. This groundbreaking discovery can provide ideas for bioengineering approaches to reduce CO₂ in the atmosphere.